Ford RS Owners club day. 1000's of Sierra and Escort Cosworths, a race prepared Puma, an absolutely stonking Orange Fiesta, Evo's, Skylines, a bloody fast VW Jetta...... are we out powered or what!!
Session2 - passenger Chris
I had just passengered with Tony. He'd had a bit of a nightmare struggling with the car and all (check out the movie below). We had the new wheels and tyres on there but it looked as easy as driving an ice cube across a wet tabletop. I was understandably a bit apprehensive. The first thing I noticed was how tall third gear was. The larger rolling radius of the wheels was not helping acceleration. It's a good job the grunty cologne engine has got a fat torque curve - second to third goes from 6000 to 3000 rpm!! Still it should mean a higher exit speed at quarry where we hit the rev limit in second previously I thought.
As I turned in to quarry the car felt, well, good. Sorry Tone. Understeer was reduced and oversteer was mild and predictable. Pretty close to neutral handling. Power down just meant a bit more oversteer.
Since my earlier attempts at the chicanes using power all the way had resulted in less than 100% success I went through a little more subdued this time round. Having looked back this was a bit of a pansy thing to do. Sorry all. I shall not do it again
Having not gone mental I was surprised to keep a Cossie behind me for about 6 laps. He lost ground in the bends and caught up on the straight each lap.
I did try quarry with a change up to third before the apex. A bit of a mistake that really. The front end struggled for grip as we under steered towards the rumble strip. No-way, I thought, I'm not lifting off. The left wheels went over the strip with a dull thud. Then another thud as the right wheels went up and over then onto the grass. We seemed to be going in a straight line so I kept the power on and turned gently towards the tarmac. Chris giggled as we hit grey tarmac again. We both breathed a sigh of relief. Phew.
Still immense fun. Can't wait till next time......
Rob's turn now....
Session3 - passenger Michael
I felt less concerned now after Spen had been out and said the tyres weren't quite as bad as we first thought. Straight away out of the pits the car feels a little down on power due to longer rolling radius of the tyres. The car sounds fantastic with no interior and basically one silencer in the exhaust. I took quarry quite easily & through the esses a bit faster, the car feels ok. Power down hammer down straight up to the right hander before bobbies chicane, the car seems to oversteer a little on braking into the corner, but it all seems really quite good. (more apologies to Tony). Nutty warp speed Jetta comes past me down the start / finish straight, oh well, kept him off for a lap!
Stepping the back out on the corners is really quite fun (perhaps not the fastest way round, but still fun). There seems to be very little understeer now through quarry, damn rev limiter **CRUNCH** 3rd, hard on the brakes into the esses **CRUNCH** 2nd, back slides a little, blasted rev limiter again **CRUNCH** 3rd, ** I really should be nicer to the gearbox **
Now I've really got the hang of this car, I start to reel in a red shiny Escort Cosworth. He's braking far to early for that **CRUNCH** 3rd **CRUNCH** 2nd, back slides out again, grabbing a little opposite lock brings her back in line. This is SOOO much fun.... Another couple of laps and I am getting closer to the Cosworth, he is only a few car lengths away. I brake really late for the right hander before bobbies chicane, wooooaaaaaa there, nearly exchanged paint with the Cossie. (He shouldn't brake so early, his discs are probably twice the size of mine!) As we come up to bobbies I clock the racing Puma is actually going to overtake me into the chicane! I'm sure they said no overtaking into the bends, never mind!! Out of the chicane the Cossie pulls away under power down the straight.
"Scotty, we need more power"
"She canne take any more capn, the engines gonna blow!"
Half a lap later the alternator light comes on, Oh no, I think, well, it can't cause any damage so I'll just carry on canning everything the cars got! I'm sure I could overtake that Cossie under braking into the chicane, had better not though just in case. His cars probably worth 15 grand, ours cost 400!!!
We are coming up on the final lap now, must flash at the chequered flag bloke to acknowledge WOOOAAA huge rear end out incident grabbing hand fulls of opposite lock, power down, but the Cossie has pulled several car lengths away, no chance of catching him now!
More........laps........must.......have.........more........laps...........
